Ayr United defeat was embarrassing says Scott MacKenzie

Apr 16 2010 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

FURIOUS Scott MacKenzie said he was embarrassed as dismal Ayr slumped to a fourth successive defeat without so much as a whimper.

And the assistant boss called on the team to win all five of their remaining games to ensure they beat the drop.

Mackenzie hit out: "It was like a training game at times. Dunfermline were hungrier, and looked fitter and sharper.

"It's the same bunch of players who were on the park when we were on a good run. The workrate in the last three or four games has not been up to the standard that we require at this club.

"We've five games left and if we want to stay in this league, we need to win them all.

"We don't want to end up in the Second Division so the players have to work hard and give it their best shot.

"If it does happen and we do go down at least we want the players to say they gave it their best."

MacKenzie admitted Ayr may have ridden their luck during the eight game unbeaten run that had lifted them out of the bottom two.

He claimed: "When you are winning games, the cracks get painted over and some of the games we were lucky to win. But you have to create your own luck.

"If you show a desire and a hunger as a team, you will always have a chance.

"If I was a fan, then I would be shouting. The players have to give the crowd something and at the moment, we're not giving them anything."

Ayr started brightly with Ryan McGowan having a header scrambled off the line and Danny Lafferty curling a free-kick just wide. But that was a false dawn as the Pars soon took charge.

Steven McDougall beat Chris Mitchell before cutting the ball back to Ross Campbell who fired home in 39 minutes.

Samson then made a superb save from David Graham after the striker found himself in splendid isolation from a Callum Woods pass.

Graham then scuffed a shot wide before Ayr hauled themselves level on the stroke of half-time. Tam McManus ran on to a bouncing ball from McGowan and beat Andy Dowie before rounding keeper Chris Smith to score.

It took the Pars only eight minutes of the second-half to regain their lead when Graham set up McDougall.

Ayr tried a triple switch with Rocky Visconte at least carrying a threat but it made no difference and Dunfermline wasted a host of chances to add to their lead.

Pars boss Jim McIntyre claimed they should have scored five or six but praised the performance.

He added: "Graham should at least have had a hat-trick and he knows that himself but what he gives to the team is fantastic.

"He's dynamic, he can turn a player and leave two or three for dead. That creates space for others but I would like him to be a wee bit more selfish.

"We have beaten last season's points tally, now I want to finish second which will be hard because the teams above have a wee bit on us."

STAR MEN: ***Craig Samson; **Tam McManus; *Rocky Visconte.

AYR - Samson; Mitchell, Lafferty, Gibson, James, McGowan (Visconte 58), Keenan, Bowey, (K. Connolly 58), McManus, Roberts, Borris (Mendes 67). Unused subs: Grindlay, Woodburn.

DUNFERMLINE - Smith; Woods, McCann, Bell, Dowie, Higgins, Gibson, Mason, McDougall, Campbell (Phinn 87), Graham. Unused subs: Fleming, Holmes, Burke, Ross.

Referee - George Salmond. Crowd - 1367.